how to gain clinical experience as an MS-0.5?

[Adcadet]

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hey all you MS3's and 4's (and whoever else might be around)-

I'll be starting medical school in the fall, and am just finishing a field experience I had to do for my MPH in which I observed a tobacco depdendnece clinic run out of a county medical centers' Dept. of Medicine. I'm not sure how standard this is, but residents (mostly G1 or G2 IM and FP) would come in to the clinic, see patients and staff them with one of the attendings. After a while of just following the residents around and observing them, I started seeing patients just like the residents did. I was a lot of fun. I think I've learned a lot about how to go back over medical records, searching for the details important to what you're doing, how to efficiently get the history, present a tentative treatment plan to the patient, and how to staff the patient without wasting the attendings' time. Anyway, that experience is soon ending (I may be able to continue if I want, as I've got a great relationship with the clinic director and the other attending), and I'm wondering if this sort of thing is a useful way of learning how to be a doctor. Would it be worthwhile to continue doing this just to refine the various skills needed? I love the clinic (great staff, interesting patients), but I'm afraid I'm not learning nearly as much as I was at first - perhaps I should try to find a different clinic in the four months before med school starts? Unfortunately, I doubt there are other clinics in which I can act like a resident and see patients to the degree that I can in the tobacco depdence clinic. Do you MS3's and 4's (or whoever else is around) have any advice or observations?

Thanks!
Adcadet

 

[maxheadroom]

Don't worry about it. Spend your time doing something fun that you won't have time to do when you're in school. Travel, read books, study something completely non-medical. Seriously, you'll get all the clinical experience you need in med school. You'll regret not using this free time for something else.

 

[GO_MEDPEDS]

Exactly what maxheadroom said! You will do nothing for the next several years but work on your clinical skills and see patients (well, after the initial classroom stuff), so take advantage now to really do something that you've either wanted to do or just haven't gotten a chance to do. Trust me, I was working right up till medical school and I would now have given anything to have gone somewhere or at least taken it easy that summer.

That also goes for the summer after your 1st year. Maybe do something for the first part (hospital medical education programs, research, whatever), but definately take some time off to do something fun! No one will fault you for doing this, and it will give you some well deserved R&R.

Good luck in medical school... I think you're already on the right track if you've done some patient interviewing and are comfortable with getting a good history (you'll already be heads and shoulders above your classmates!)

Grant

 

[Adcadet]

but seeing patients is fun!

Oh, the other part of the puzzle:
I'm planning on taking a leave of absence from my medical school after the second year to do a PhD (I have approvals from all parties involved), and I'd prefer to return to medical school without feeling totally behind in patient care. I kindof hope to make some contacts around the county medical center (where my lab is) so that I can do a little bit of clinical stuff while doing my PhD work - maybe a half day per week.

 

[maxheadroom]

True, seeing patients is fun and exciting right now. But, you'll be doing that for the rest of your life. Go do things that you won't be able to do later on.

And about seeing patients after M1/M2 years while you're doing grad work . . . probably not much you can do. While you'll have plenty of "head knowledge", you won't have much clinical knowledge. That, and you'll be very busy running gels, boiling potions, designing the next Zyvox.

Message: GO DO SOMETHING FUN AND ADVENTUROUS WHILE YOU STILL CAN!

 

[DoctorDoom]

If you're really that into seeing patients sign on with an attending, or go to the chairman of the department you're interested in in a hospital and ask if you can tag along in clinic or on rounds. Sometimes they'll even let you observe or retract in the OR. Yipppeee!!

But if you do that, plan for a year off after med school before you match, or you'll burn out, wondering why the hell you didn't spend your free time before clinical rotations on a beach with someone you love sipping cold drinks and looking at the sky.

 

[Adcadet]

Originally posted by DoctorDoom


But if you do that, plan for a year off after med school before you match, or you'll burn out, wondering why the hell you didn't spend your free time before clinical rotations on a beach with someone you love sipping cold drinks and looking at the sky.

I'm going to be doing that for 10 days this spring (honeymoon).

 

[neilc]

before i started med school, i asked to shadow a surgeon that i knew..he gladly let me, but he offered some advice after about a week. he said something to the effect of, "hey, this is your last summer of freedom. you will be doing this for the rest of your life. i know it is fun now, but, don't burn out." so, i thought about it, and decided he was right. now, 3 years later, i still love the OR, i still get excited about medicine, but i am SO thankful that i followed his advice.

you have lots and lots of time ahead of you to see your beloved patients. don't rush it, enjoy life a bit and do something else you enjoy. there are lots of fun things to do, and you will not have the same opportunities later. enjoy the fact that you got in, chill on the beach, get a job outside of medicine, have fun....soon enough you will be studying biochem, and wondering what the hell you wanted to do this for!

 

[DoctorDoom]

Originally posted by Adcadet
I'm going to be doing that for 10 days this spring (honeymoon).

Congratulations!!!

I think everyone who has posted would agree though, take a second honeymoon in the summer, get as much quality time with your spouse as you can now!

Good luck!